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WE HAVE 360,000 NACA MEMBERS IN GEORGIA & OUR GOAL IS TO FLIP THE U.S. SENATE ON JAN. 5 & CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THIS COUNTRY

VOTE for REV. RAPHAEL WARNOCK & JON OSSOFF!

NACA HAS REINVENTED MORTGAGE LENDING BY ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR LOW- TO MODERATE INCOME AND MINORITY HOMEBUYERS

NACA HAS FOR OVER 35 YEARS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF FIGHTING AGAINST PREDATORY AND DISCRIMINARY LENDING

BE AN ACTIVE FORCE AS A NACTIVIST IN CHANGING YOUR COMMUNITY

JOIN YOUR NAC NOW

Thousands Approved for NACA's Best in America Mortgage in Spite of Pandemic Lockdowns
During the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of low to moderate income and minority homebuyers are achieving the American Dream of homeownership thanks to NACA's unequalled Best in America mortgage product.
Read More

Phone Lines Open Again at Most NACA Offices
We want to thank our members for their extreme patience over the last few weeks as we have had to close all NACA offices to the public and move to a work-from-home operational model during the pandemic.
Read More

Invitation Homes Tenant Abuse
- NACA, the largest non-profit HUD approved housing counseling organization, is working with thousands of Invitation Home tenants to organize and advocate for their rights.
Read More

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WE HAVE 360,000 NACA MEMBERS IN GEORGIA & OUR GOAL IS TO FLIP THE U.S. SENATE ON JAN. 5 & CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THIS COUNTRY VOTE for REV. RAPHAEL WARNOCK & JON OSSOFF!

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Starfall Education: Kids Games, Movies, Books & Music for K-5 and above

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At Starfall, children have fun while they learn - specializing in reading, phonics & math - educational games, movies, books, songs, and more for children K-5 and above.

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ABCya! • ABCya! • Learning Games and Apps for Kids

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Educational games for grades PreK through 6 that will keep kids engaged and having fun. Topics include math, reading, typing, just-for-fun logic games… and more!

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We will keep our essential services available to people in crisis and will be helping residents and neighbors who are unable to meet their basic needs.

CEDA offers a variety of services to low-income families and individuals throughout the Chicagoland area

Unite Us Convening Partner

Unite Us is a coordinated care network of health and social service providers, bringing cross-sector partners together to address people's social needs and improve health outcomes across communities in Illinois.

You can join this network of organizations ready to help our neighbors improve their quality of life.

We offer individuals a range of services and support they need to change their lives.

Please call NAMI's helpline for 24/7 confidential support if you need a listening ear. Do you suspect your child is struggling and you aren't sure what to do? You Are Not Alone According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 low-income children have a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder,...

In the Game of Life, players don't start on equal footing. But they can learn strategies to get ahead and come out on top! Our Life Skills Class aims to give Chicagoland youth the tools and knowledge to build a bright future. Recently, we hosted The Game of Life Youth...

(COOK COUNTY, IL) - Today, the Office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA) announced a new program to assist low-income residents with water utility bills. Funded with dollars provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Low-income Household...

Our Partners in Service

In addition to hundreds of local partner intake sites these are a few of our partners.

Featured Partner

Please call NAMI's helpline for 24/7 confidential support if you need a listening ear. Do you suspect your child is struggling and you aren't sure what to do? You Are Not Alone According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 low-income children have a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder,...

In the Game of Life, players don't start on equal footing. But they can learn strategies to get ahead and come out on top! Our Life Skills Class aims to give Chicagoland youth the tools and knowledge to build a bright future. Recently, we hosted The Game of Life Youth...

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Find free or reduced-cost resources like food, housing, financial assistance, health care, and more.
Help starts here.

34,622,305 people use it (and growing daily)

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, chat with them online via their website, or text HOME to 741741 (multiple languages available). If this is an emergency, call 911.

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findhelp.org by findhelp - Search and Connect to Social Care

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Search and connect to support. Find financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, and other free or reduced-cost help in your area, anywhere in the US.

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Educational games and videos from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Wild Kratts and other PBS KIDS shows!

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Scholastic | Books for Kids | Learning Resources

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Find the best kids books, learning resources, and educational solutions at Scholastic, promoting literacy development for over 100 years.

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Sesame Street | Preschool Games, Videos, & Coloring Pages to Help Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger & Kinder

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WE HELP OVER 14,000 FAMILIES ANNUALLY

Respond Now works to alleviate hunger and prevent homelessness for those who are most at risk. At Respond Now, we believe firmly that everyone is deserving, and we welcome all. Here, you'll be treated with the dignity and respect you deserve while connecting you with the services to help you live your life.

Each Year:

We serve more than 22 Chicago south suburban communities.

We keep over 125 families in their homes.

We help more than 133 families with utility assistance.

We prepare over 18,000 bags of food.

We distribute hundreds of books and school supplies.

We are volunteer driven, giving over 6,000 hours of our time

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WE HELP OVER 14,000 FAMILIES ANNUALLY Respond Now works to alleviate hunger and prevent homelessness for those who are most at risk. At Respond Now, we believe firmly that everyone is deserving, and we welcome all. Here, you'll be treated with the dignity and respect you deserve while connecting you with the services to help you live your life.

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SSSRA offers recreation opportunities for people with disabilities or special needs

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Getting Ready for Kindergarten | Illinois Early Learning Project

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Is kindergarten right around the corner for your child? Here are some things to think about as the school year approaches.

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At home activities for parents and caregivers

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Content

Families, thank you for being your child's first teacher and our partner in supporting your kindergartener. The KIDS tool allows us to build a common language for talking about your child's growth in social emotional, language and literacy and math development. The ideas here can help you learn more about what your child is learning in kindergarten, support your child's learning at home, and provide you with helpful background information about KIDS.

NEW KIDS RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES & CAREGIVERS!

Check out this series of short videos​ aligned with the required measures of Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS). The videos feature real families sharing ways to support their 3- to 5-year-olds as they develop social-emotional, math, and literacy skills. Use the videos and tip sheets here to boost your child's learning at home...maybe even while you're checking off items on your "to-do" list!

Want to know more about KIDS? Watch the ​ KIDS Introduction Video in English or Spanish​ ​.​​

At-Home Activities for Families & Caregivers

Tip Sheets

ATL-REG 1

ATL-REG 2

ATL-REG 3

Videos

ATL-REG 1 Videos

ATL-REG 2 Videos

ATL-REG 3 Videos

Tip Sheets

Videos

LLD 3 Videos

LLD 4 Videos

LLD 6 Videos

LLD 8 Videos

LLD 9 Videos

Tip Sheets

Math 1

Math 2

Math 3

Math 6

Videos

Math 1 Videos

Math 2 Videos

Math 3 Videos

Math 6 Videos

Tip Sheets

Videos​

SED 3 Videos

SED 4 Videos

* * * This page has been archived. The content on this page may no longer be in effect. * * *

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Content Families, thank you for being your child's first teacher and our partner in supporting your kindergartener. The KIDS tool allows us to build a common language for talking about your child's growth in social emotional, language and literacy and math development.

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Sorting, Classifying and Organizing (COG:MATH 1)

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Discover Shapes in Many Places (COG:MATH 6)

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Legal Help

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Let us be your guide.

Our justice centers provide legal help and coaching on your situation for only $30. We serve all case types including:

Find freedom today from your legal burdens by following these three steps.

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We believe legal help should be available to all. Receive legal advice and find freedom from your legal burdens at a Justice Center near you.

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Illinois Child Support. Enrolling for services is easy, and best of all, it’s free

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Participate in assistance programs like the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, and others, or are enrolled or enrolling in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) with Xfinity.

Have not had Xfinity Internet within the last 90 days unless you're enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program with Xfinity.

Have no outstanding debt on any Comcast account that is less than one year old unless you're enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program with Xfinity.

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Internet Essentials - Affordable Internet from Xfinity

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See if you qualify for low-cost, fast and reliable Xfinity Internet from Comcast now! low-income households benefit from access to online resources

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Ways to save on your ComEd bill

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Melting Exercise - Learn To Destress | Guided Meditation For Kids | Breathing Exercises | GoNoodle

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Breathing Exercise with Retention for Kids | Fish Breath | Yoga to Improve Lung Capacity| Yoga Guppy

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TheLearningStation - Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes

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Brain Breaks - Dance Song - Dancing Robots - Children's Songs by The Learning Station

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🍄 Mario's Winter Run ❄️ | Fitness Run | Brain Break | Mini-Games | GoNoodle Inspired

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Tabata Workout for KIDS | The Animal Workout (ages 3-8) w/@TabataKidsWorkouts

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Party Freeze Dance Song - THE KIBOOMERS Preschool Songs for Circle Time

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Bluey | Dance Freeze Game Brain Break | CBeebies

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Bluey Count to 100 by 1's Song | Kids Brain Break | Counting to 100

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Following Directions With Exercise-Brainbreak Dance for Classrooms & Homes) - Mark D. Pencil

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Do What Mark D  Pencil Says (Brain Break Exercise for classrooms & homes)

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OAI Chicago Southland offers training programs in Healthcare, Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL), and Manufacturing.

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Fun and Learning for Parents and Children

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Offers diapering supplies (diapers, pull-ups, wipes), mensural products, and underwear for children, teens, and parents who are in need.

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Every Baby Deserves a Dry Bottom. Every Mom Deserves Peace of Mind

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Pilot Light's Family Resources are designed to provide a time of learning and deeper connection for children and their loved ones through the act of sharing and making food. This library of resources includes Family Lessons in both English and Spanish, Family Meal Videos, recipes, and more as a way to bring food education into your homes.

episode is based on one of Pilot Light's To introduce young students to food education, we partnered with WTTW to launch Food Thoughts , an animated seven-part series of one-minute videos. Hosted by Pilot Light's own puppy chef, "Puprika," each Food Thoughts Food Education Standards.
Watch Food Thoughts Here!
If you and your family engage in the videos and lessons from home, please post your photos and videos and tag us @pilotlightchefs #PLFamilyMeal.
Click here to sign up for free for the Food Education Center and to be notified of new Family Lessons each week! Know a family or teacher who would benefit from Pilot Light resources? Please share this page with them. Want to support additional lessons and videos? Click here to find out how.
Have a question or suggestion? We'd love to hear from you!
Click here to leave feedback.

Be the first to learn about new lessons!
Sign up

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Pilot Light's Family Resources are designed to provide a time of learning and deeper connection for children and their loved ones through the act of sharing and making food. This library of resources includes Family Lessons in both English and Spanish, Family Meal Videos, recipes, and more as a way to bring food education into...

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It's no surprise that parents might need some help understanding what it means to eat healthy. From the MyPlate food guide to the latest food fad, it can be awfully confusing.

The good news is that you don't need a degree in nutrition to raise healthy kids. Following some basic guidelines can help you encourage your kids to eat right and maintain a healthy weight.

Here are 10 key rules to live by:

1. Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them. Though kids will pester their parents for less nutritious foods, adults should be in charge when deciding which foods are regularly stocked in the house. Kids won't go hungry. They'll eat what's available in the cupboard and fridge at home. If their favorite snack isn't all that nutritious, you can still buy it once in a while so they don't feel deprived.

2. From the foods you offer, kids get to choose what they will eat or whether to eat at all. Kids need to have some say in the matter. Schedule regular meal and snack times. From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of it they want. This may seem like a little too much freedom. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be choosing only from the foods you buy and serve.

3. Quit the "clean-plate club." Let kids stop eating when they feel they've had enough. Lots of parents grew up under the clean-plate rule, but that approach doesn't help kids listen to their own bodies when they feel full. When kids notice and respond to feelings of fullness, they're less likely to overeat.

4. Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may need to serve a new food a few different times for a child to accept it. Don't force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older kids, ask them to try one bite.

5. Rewrite the kids' menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your kids try new foods and they might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. You can start by letting them try a little of whatever you ordered or ordering an appetizer for them to try.

6. Drink calories count. Soda and other sweetened drinks add extra calories and get in the way of good nutrition. Water and milk are the best drinks for kids. Juice is fine when it's 100%, but kids don't need much of it - 4 to 6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.

7. Put sweets in their place. Occasional sweets are fine, but don't turn dessert into the main reason for eating dinner. When dessert is the prize for eating dinner, kids naturally place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli. Try to stay neutral about foods.

8. Food is not love. Find better ways to say "I love you." When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, they may start using food to cope with stress or other emotions. Offer hugs, praise, and attention instead of food treats.

9. Kids do as you do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. When trying to teach good eating habits, try to set the best example possible. Choose nutritious snacks, eat at the table, and don't skip meals.

10. Limit TV and computer time. When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacking and encourage activity. Research has shown that kids who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their percentage of body fat. When TV and computer time are limited, they'll find more active things to do. And limiting "screen time" means you'll have more time to be active together.

Date reviewed: November 2021

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Here are 10 simple tips to help you raise kids who develop healthy eating habits!

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Mealtime Tips

Enjoying a meal together is a great way to connect with your family. Here are some mealtime tips to try:

Remove distractions by turning off the TV and making a phone "parking spot" away from the table.

Have everyone share what they did during the day. What made you laugh or what you did for fun?

Try new foods at home. Kids need many opportunities to taste a new food to "get used to it."

Have adults and older kids talk about the color, feel, or flavor of foods. It'll make them sound more appealing to younger kids that may be picky.

On nice days, opt for a change of scenery. For example, go to a nearby park for a dinner picnic.

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Enjoying a meal together is a great way to connect with your family. Here are some mealtime tips to try: Remove distractions by turning off the TV and making a phone "parking spot" away from the table. Have everyone share what they did during the day.

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Nutrition for Kids

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What nutrients does your child need now?

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See the current children's nutrition recommendations for protein, carbohydrates, more.

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Park Forest Library Activities

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The Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM) data shared during the kick-off events provided a general overview of community characteristics and early childhood education and care services in each region. Part of the work of Birth to Five Action Councils will be to look closely at the data in each region to understand the local context.

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Find comprehensive food resources, including emergency food aid, LINK/SNAP benefits, WIC programs, senior services, and support for immigrant communities.

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WIC Online Nutrition Education - wichealth.org

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Complete your online nutrition education requirements on wichealth.org

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Use the Find Food IL map to find places in your community offering free food or meals. You can also find stores and markets that accept SNAP/LINK or WIC coupons. Plus, see the DHS or WIC office nearest to you. Enter your zip code or city to get started.

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Forklift, Forklift Classes, Construction Trade, Training

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Click the "Link2Feed Account" button to the right and create a new account. Complete the registration form. Once registered, go back to nifb.link2feed.com to sign up for an appointment (see steps below). Appointments for shopping open up the Monday prior to shopping day on Friday.

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Kids Workshops: Activities & Crafts - The Home Depot

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Explore all of Home Depot’s kids projects and activities from at-home DIY projects to in-person kids workshops. Register for a workshop today.

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Access Community Health Network (ACCESS)

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Free Food Distribution at ACCESS | Access Community Health Network (ACCESS)

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ACCESS provides community-based health care based on a model that connects patients to health care resources of nearly 35 federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs). Find a location near you.

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Resource for Respite Care

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Respite services are planned or unplanned care for a child or adult with a special need in order to provide temporary relief to the family caregiver of that child or adult. Services are provided to children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are not enrolled in or receiving any Home and Community Based Waiver-funded services (HCBS) through any waivers operated by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities (IDHS, DDD) or any other State Agency (Department on Aging, Division of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Specialized Care for Children, etc.).

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Discover MyPlate: Parent Handouts | Food and Nutrition Service

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Teen Basketball Officiating Program 2026